Brand Owners Protection Group (BPG), a leading NGO and non-profit organisation in Dubai, has hailed a move to establish an independent trade regulatory control and protection establishment.

The initiative to form the Joint Commercial Control and Protection Establishment was ordered by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

“We in the BPG as a leading brand owners and business community highly appreciate this initiative and certainly, the Dubai Executive Committee will give the full support to Dubai Economic Development to continue their fight against counterfeits and develop relations with the brand owners, symbolising a partnership between the public and the private sector,” said Omar Shteiwi, chairman of the board of the BPG and the regional intellectual property advisor for Nestle Middle East.

“We in the BPG will welcome this news with open arms as it ensures the protection of both business and consumer interests. I would also like to wish that this new establishment effectively plays an important role in combating counterfeiting in the UAE,” Shteiwi continued.

The independent regulatory body will develop and protect the business climate in compliance with rules in the emirate and protect individuals and companies from illegal commercial practices by providing advanced solutions that guarantee a safe business environment.

Envisioned to assume its role as the sole economic regulatory and protection body, Joint Commercial Control and Protection Establishment will assume full responsibility for regulating and protecting local commercial activities in all sectors.

Through carefully planned training solutions, the new establishment aims to spread awareness among individuals and companies about their rights and obligations within the business community.

The government establishment is also focused on providing human resources and training solutions to keep employees abreast of the latest developments in commercial systems and consumer protection.

As the Dubai Department of Economic Development played a key role in combating counterfeits inside the markets and as counterfeit trade continues to be a major threat to the safety of the business climate for most of the governments, the BPG hopes to witness a positive effect that the new establishment will have on intellectual property (IP) enforcement in the Emirates.

“Represented by leading multinational companies from the FMCG, telecommunications, and automotive spare parts industries, the BPG is dedicated to participate by extending all manner of legal and legislative support, spreading awareness on the harmful socio-economic impacts of the illicit trade of counterfeit goods and mitigating these effects through education, prevention and rigorous law enforcement,” Shteiwi concluded. – TradeArabia News Service